Out of Stigma’s Shadow

“It’s like chipping away at a boulder.” “I’ve been through so much. Something good is bound to happen, eventually.” When he was 7 years old, Clark was sexually assaulted. He spent the next two years suffering in silence before he told his parents about the trauma. Since then, Cark has been on a journey to cope with an event that continues to have emotional repercussions. Clark says, “No matter how much power that has, my psyche is stronger. I’m stronger than that.” Clark is now 18, and he’s about to go to college.

”I heard silence for the first time. And that was a beautiful thing.” “You are not broken.” Rachel has struggled with eating disorders, depression, and anxiety. Along the way, she’s self-medicated and connected with her spirituality. After being institutionalized, Rachel was diagnosed with bipolar 1.

“I didn’t fully grasp what was happening to me.” “My intuition was, ‘This is not right.’” “I’m still here to tell the story.” For Zach, an SSRI prescription had an unexpected outcome: He stopped sleeping and careened into manic bouts. After a psychotic episode that resulted in an inpatient hospitalization, Zach was given a diagnosis of bipolar. Today, he adheres to a careful regimen of medications that keep him focused and stable.

“Is this my new reality?” “I was able to use my pain as power.” “Emotions are our teachers.” During the pandemic, isolation took its toll on Allison. On top of her depression, she contracted Covid, and the mental fog lingered. After reaching out a therapist, Rachel confronted her own emotions, started meditating, and processed her pain through a photo series called, Rotten.

“It’s not an easy conversation, but I think it’s one that should be had.” “I had the mindset that I wouldn’t live to be seventeen.” “I just hated myself for the longest time.” Myles witnessed gun violence at a young age, and it took a toll on his emotional health. He became anxious, depressed, and fatalistic. He had a less-than-ideal first encounter with a therapist, but he ultimately learned how to cope with his own self-hatred.

“The world doesn’t feel real to you.” “It’s just a very self-destructive roller coaster ride.” “Mental illness is indiscriminate.” Jordan starting hearing voices in his head but did his best to ignore them. When he went to college, he spiraled into a pattern of depression, mania, and substance abuse that culminated in a seizure. After an inpatient hospitalization, Jordan was diagnosed with bipolar 1 with psychosis. A suicide attempt followed, along with multiple subsequent hospitalizations. Today, Jordan is on a meticulous regimen of medications, and he’s pursuing a degree in psychology.

“I’ve gotten better at asking for help.” “You aren’t a burden for existing.” Some people don’t like labels, but August finds them comforting and affirming. Queer. Nonbinary. Autistic. August embraces these labels as they navigate through a daily experience of feeling different and not fitting in.

“It’s okay to cry. Crying is an emotional breakthrough.” “I wake up every morning, and I am beautiful.” After an unresolved childhood trauma, Whitney suffered from acute anxiety attacks and nightmares. With the help of a therapist and a regular practice of journaling, she’s learned to cope with her past and deal with its emotional repercussions.

“I can only describe it as like a weird sense of dread.” “It’s just really important for people to know they are not alone.” When Emily was in high school, she found herself as the de facto caretaker for her mom, who was mentally and physically ill. Emily struggled with severe anxiety, made even more difficult because of stigma surrounding mental health issues and challenges accessing therapy services. Emily is now pursuing a degree in family and human services and notes that, while she is doing better managing her anxiety, it can still be challenging at times.

"We move like a river. And we have rocks in our path. What does water do? It moves, it flows through.” “I love who I’m becoming.” The end of a long relationship left Damon feeling lost and suicidal, but a call from a friend came at just the right moment. Since then, Damon has been on a journey of personal growth and self-acceptance, spending time in nature, starting a fashion company, and working with autistic kids.

“I honestly felt like I was invincible.” “It’s OK not to be OK.” When Peter was in middle school, he struggled with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. He became a target for bullies and spent a lot of time in the principal’s office. In high school, he embraced alcohol and drugs to ease his social anxiety. By the time he was in college, his substance use had gotten the best of him. He failed his classes and ended up in treatment program where he learned some surprising and important things about himself.

“I didn’t know what I was feeling.” “I wish the urges would go away.” “It was easy to hide.” “Broken people can’t fix broken people, but I can’t help but try.” In high school, an abstract sadness descended on Jada. She didn’t understand it, but it made her think about ending her life. For better or worse, she found a community of people online who were also struggling. They introduced Jada to the practice of self-harm, to her detriment. Today, Jada is a mental health advocate who performs her poetry at conferences and workshops. She shares a poem that may or may not be her suicide note.